Strawberry plant named ‘Malibu’

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Malibu’ (a.k.a. ‘109221’).

Latin name of the genus and species: Fragaria x ananassa.

Varietal denomination: ‘Malibu’ (a.k.a. ‘109221’).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Malibu’ (a.k.a. ‘109221’). ‘Malibu’ is a short-day strawberry plant.

‘Malibu’ (a.k.a. ‘109221’) is the result of a controlled-cross between a female parent cultivar designated 105429 (strawberry plant named ‘Dani’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,533) and a male parent cultivar designated 105218 (strawberry plant named ‘Zarina’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,936) made by the Inventor and was first fruited in Watsonville, Calif. growing fields. Following selection and during testing, the plant was originally designated ‘109221’ and subsequently named ‘Malibu’.

This new strawberry plant was asexually reproduced via runners (stolons) by the inventor at Watsonville, Calif. Asexual propagules from the original source have been tested in Watsonville growing fields and to a limited extent, grower fields in high elevation. The properties of this new plant were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. This plant is stable and reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive strawberry plant designated as ‘Malibu’. This strawberry plant is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the central coast of California. This region provides the necessary temperatures required for it to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit production from March through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the needed humidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintain fruit quality for the production months.

The following traits and photographs in combination distinguish strawberry plant ‘Malibu’ from known strawberry varieties. In addition, this new strawberry plant was confirmed to be a unique strawberry germplasm when tested against the California Seed & Plant Lab, Inc. (Elverta, Calif.) database using Short Sequence Repeats (SSRs). Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. Any color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The fruit produced by each new cultivar is attractive and of excellent quality.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs depict various characteristics of the cultivars as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows fruits of ‘Malibu’.

FIG. 2 shows sliced fruits of ‘Malibu’.

FIG. 3 shows ‘Malibu’ plants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

‘Malibu’ (a.k.a. ‘109221’)

This invention relates to a new and distinctive short-day type strawberry cultivar designated as ‘Malibu’. It is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the central coast of California. This region provides the necessary temperatures required for it to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit production from March through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the needed humidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintain fruit quality for the production months.

The following traits in combination distinguish strawberry variety ‘Malibu’ from the known strawberry varieties. Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

The detailed botanical description in Table 1 was observed when the plants were 33 weeks after planting. The plants observed were grown in a farm field with an outdoor yield trial plot (without cover) on a polyethylene-film-covered-raised-bed. A grower standard 1.25 mil thickness of polyethylene film was used to cover raised bed. All plants were spaced 14 inches apart. The field having a very sandy soil was located on a commercial strawberry farm, which is near Watsonville, Calif.

‘Malibu’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions, and the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe this plant as grown under normal conditions in Watsonville, Calif. unless otherwise noted.

TABLE 1 Malibu CharType Characteristic Malibu General Plant Habit annual Plant Growth Habit semi-upright Plant Height 31 cm Plan! Width 37 cm Plant Width-Crown 10 cm Density of foliage, vigor light Plant vigor moderate Leaf Terminal leaflet width (mm) 90 Terminal leaflet length (mm) 85 No. teeth/terminal leaflet: 16 Shape of the terminal leaflet base acute Shape of terminal leaflet concave in cross-section Margin description of the terminal serrate to crenate Color of upper side of leaves 137A Color of lower side of leaves 137C Leaf blistering weak Leaf glossiness medium Limbs Petiole length (cm) 17 Petiole diameter (mm) 3 Petiole color 145B Petiolule length (mm) 10 Petiolule diameter (mm) 3 Attitude of hairs on petiole horizontal to and pedicel upwards Stipule pubescence sparse Stipule length (cm) 3.5 Stipule size medium Stipule width (cm) 1 Stipule anthocyanin present Stipule color (color code) 145A Pedicel color (color code) 145A Peduncle length (cm) 25 Peduncle size medium to large Peduncle attitude erect Peduncle pubescence, attitude of hairs medium, upwards Inflorescence Inflorescence position relative above to foliage Flower arrangement of petals touching Petal length (cm) 1.3 Petal width (cm) 1.4 Petal number per flower 5 to 6 Upper Petal color 155A Lower Petal color 155B Calyx diameter (cm) 3.9 Corolla diameter (cm) 2.6 Sepal length (cm) 1.7 Sepal width (cm) 0.9 Time of flowering March (50% of plants in bloom) Shape of stigma capitate Color of stigma 14A Length of style (mm) 1.5 Color of style 7D Color of the ovary 145B Length of the stamens (mm) 4.7 Number of stamen 21 to 24 Anther color 13B Shape of anther dorsifixed Size of anther medium Amount of pollen abundant Color of pollen 14A Color of filament 149D Length of filament (mm) 3 to 6 Number of flowers per truss 3 to 5 Stolon Stolon number 1 Stolon anthocyanin 181A Widest diameter of stolon 4.19 At leaf attachment (mm) Stolon color 145A Fruit Number of fruit per truss 3 to 5 Fruit length (cm) 4.2 Fruit width (cm) 4.3 Fruit skin color 45A Fruit flesh color excluding core 41A Fruit core length (cm) 4.1 Fruit core width (cm) 1.7 Fruit core color 37A Fruit weight (g) 24.5 Predominant fruit shape conic to long conic Shape difference between primary Similar shape & secondary fruits Width of band without of achenes medium Fruit glossiness strong Position of achenes below surface Achene color 150B Achenes per fruit 399 Achene weight (g) 0.24 Position of calyx even to above level of adherence of calyx medium Color of calyx 137A Firmness of flesh medium Evenness of flesh color nearly even Sweetness (brix) 11 pH 3.48 Yield (g per plant per season) 2208

When ‘Malibu’ is compared to the proprietary female parent ‘Dani’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,533), the petiole of ‘Malibu’ leaves is thicker than that of ‘Dani’ leaves. ‘Malibu’ produces fruits earlier than ‘Dani’ in the spring season. The flowers of ‘Malibu’ are visible above the canopy, while the flowers of ‘Dani’ are mostly below the canopy.

When ‘Malibu’ is compared to the proprietary male parent ‘Zarina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,936), ‘Malibu’ is a medium-large sized plant, but ‘Zarina’ is a small-medium sized plant. Fruits of ‘Malibu’ are uniformly smooth and conic, while fruits of ‘Zarina’ are long-conic.

When ‘Malibu’ is compared to the check variety ‘Monterey’ (U.S. Pat. No. 19,767), ‘Malibu’ does not produce runners during the fruit production period, while ‘Monterey’ produces stolons during the fruiting period. The fruit yield of ‘Monterey’ is significantly greater than ‘Malibu’. In addition, fruits of ‘Monterey’ are less uniform than the fruits of ‘Malibu’ that are uniformly conical shaped.

When ‘Malibu’ is compared to the check variety ‘Merced’ (U.S. Pat. No. 25,436), the leaf trifoliate of ‘Malibu’ differs from that of ‘Merced’. ‘Malibu’ foliage allows for relatively more open canopy when compared to ‘Merced’ that has a closed canopy.

TABLE 2 Comparison of fruit features between ‘Malibu’ and the proprietary male andfemale parents FRUIT FRUIT FRUIT RATIO HYBRID HYBRID WIDTH HEIGHT (Height/ ID NAME (mm) (mm) Width) 105218 Male Parent 41.05 48.19 1.17 (Zarina) 105429 Female Parent 41.99 48.86 1.16 (Dani) 109221 Malibu 38.04 44.62 1.17 HYBRID HYBRID FRUIT HARDNESS Yield ID NAME SHAPE* (newtons) (g/clone) 105218 Male Parent 7 7.52 974 (Zarina) 105429 Female Parent 6 7.60 2076 (Dani) 109221 Malibu 6 7.73 553 *Fruit shape: 1. Oblate; 2. Globose; 3. Fan Lobes; 4. Necked; 5. Short wedge; 6. Symmetric conic; 7. Conic; 8. Long conic; 9. Long wedge

TABLE 3 Comparison of fruit features between ‘Malibu’ and the check varieties FRUIT FRUIT FRUIT RATIO HYBRID HYBRID WIDTH HEIGHT (Height/ ID NAME (mm) (mm) Width) Check Monterey 43.70 48.33 1.11 Variety Check Merced 40.40 45.19 1.12 Variety 109221 Malibu 36.96 43.38 1.17 HYBRID HYBRID FRUIT HARDNESS Yield ID NAME SHAPE* (newtons) (g/clone) Check Monterey 6 9.04 840 Variety Check Merced 7 8.81 949 Variety 109221 Malibu 7 7.62 589 *Fruit shape: 1. Oblate; 2. Globose; 3. Fan Lobes; 4. Necked; 5. Short wedge; 6. Symmetric conic; 7. Conic; 8. Long conic; 9. Long wedge 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘Malibu’ substantially as shown and described herein. 